When You Find You
by Diva In The House
Summary: Inspired by a line in David Cook's "Come Back to Me". Cameron thinks she's ready for a life change. House, as always, has his doubts. Starts out Cameron/OC, eventually ends up House/Cameron, no particular season in mind. NOW COMPLETE.
1. Prologue: Running Away

**Soo...back on the House/Cameron trip again. I don't "ship" them particularly, but I do enjoy writing them. This is just a short chapter to set things up. Once again, I don't own any of it.**

"So…I guess this is it, right?" His back was turned to her as he stared out his office window.

She nodded, a slightly sad smile on her face. "Today's my last day. I fly out to Chicago on Sunday."

"Chicago…" he seemed to consider this. "Seems like a long way to go to get away from somebody."

"I'm not running away."

"Could have fooled me." His voice developed a sudden harsh tone. "And you said _I_ always ran."

She sighed and dropped her shoulders in defeat. "I'm not having this argument again. I'm _not_ running away from anyone or anything. It's just…time for a change."

"Right." He turned away from the window, looking directly at her. "I don't know what the hell you're looking for, but I hope you find it." He walked around the desk so that they were toe to toe, then placed his hand in hers.

She impulsively wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He awkwardly returned it, halfheartedly patting her on the back and quickly extricating himself from her arms. _Leave it to her to get all sentimental. I guess I'll kind of miss that._

She tilted her head and looked up at him. "Goodbye, House. I'll miss you."

He briefly looked at her before glancing down at the floor. "Goodbye, Cameron. I'll…" He twisted up his mouth, then turned away from her. "I'll…see you around."

Just like that, Cameron turned around and walked out of House's office and out of his life. He was filled with conflicting emotions. On one hand, she would no longer haunt the hallways of PPTH, a taunting reminder of what he would never allow himself to have. On the other…she was gone forever, and he had never taken the time to express his true feelings. Not that he really had the opportunity, anyway. Up until recently, Chase had taken up an extraordinary amount of Cameron's time and energy. When they finally split, Cameron decided it was time to move on, quickly finding a new position at Cook County Hospital in Chicago.

The timing always sucked. Always. He wanted to hold back, waiting for the fallout from Cameron's split to settle before he made a move. But she had bolted, run away, whatever it was, before he ever had the chance. He doubted he'd ever see her again, and wasn't all that sure he wanted to, anyway. Before long she would settle in Chicago, find a new guy, hitch up, and start popping out rugrats. Wherever she landed, she would be fine.

House wasn't so sure the same held true for himself.

**Yep, you know the routine by now...you read, you review, I keep updating accordingly. :)**


	2. Seeing Things

**Okay, now we can get rolling. As usual, I don't own any of them.**

Cuddy walked into House's office and set a folder on his desk. House turned away from the article he was writing and looked over his glasses at her.

"What's that?" He nodded his head toward the folder.

"Infectious disease conference. "

House rolled his eyes and pushed the folder away. "No, thanks. Pretty sure I'll be up to my eyeballs in clinic duty that week."

Cuddy pushed the folder back. "A week off of clinic duty, a first class flight, and I'll send Wilson along to make sure you behave."

"Two weeks off clinic duty and you have a deal."

"Done."

_That was a little too easy. Something's funny here._ "That's it? 'Done'?"

She smiled that sweet little smile of triumph. "Yes. Done. Go, do your thing at the conference, do a little sightseeing. Think of it as a working vacation. Your flight leaves Wednesday."

After Cuddy left, House took a peek at the folder containing information about the conference itself, hotel information, rental car confirmation, and the plane tickets. _Leaving Newark…landing in…Chicago? Chicago? Oh, that woman is nothing but evil. Pure evil._

He stomped down the hallway to the elevators, intending to tell Cuddy to shove the whole conference thing and her deal up her beautiful ass. He was brooding, waiting, when Wilson showed up beside him.

"Afternoon, House."

"Wilson." House nodded in greeting. "Do you know what that she-devil Cuddy has done now?" Wilson shook his head, trying to hide his amusement. "She's _trying_ to send me to _Chicago _for a 'conference'. Now why the hell would she send me to _Chicago_?"

"Hmm…you got me…"

House glared at him. "Oh, hell no. She got you, too! No, wait…you were in on this all along!" Wilson's grin spread across his face. "You _do _remember who's in Chicago, right?"

Wilson rolled his eyes. "House, it's been three years. There's no guarantee she's even there. Besides, Chicago's a big town, and the likelihood of running into her is pretty damn slim. Get over yourself and go to the conference."

House huffed in annoyance. "Fine, I'll go. But I won't like it."

"I'm pretty sure Cuddy assumed that when she set you up."

Two days later, House and Wilson were on a plane bound for Chicago. Wilson settled in with a book, and House plugged into his I-Pod. House's mind was decided unsettled. Granted, Wilson had a good point. After three years, it was likely she found some excuse to 'make a change', 'move on', or…whatever. But what if she hadn't? Fine, Chicago was still a big city, and chances were pretty good that he wouldn't run into her…unless she happened to go to the conference. Now his imagination was really working overtime. _This is ridiculous. She's not there, and even if she is, I won't run into her anyway. End of story. Done. This thing was done three years ago. Let it go._

They landed in Chicago and deplaned. After going through the rigmarole of airport security and collecting their luggage, House and Wilson made their way to the rental car counter to pick up their car. On their way to the car lot, House thought he smelled something familiar, a soft vanilla scent blended with some sort of spice. He turned and saw a petite blond climb into a compact car. _No, it couldn't be…It was a long flight, I'm tired, and I'm seeing things. That's all._

House and Wilson checked into the hotel and went off in search of food. They found the bar and grill attached to the hotel and sat down at the bar, ordering up beer and burgers. The men fell silent as they ate, House clearly brooding about something.

"Okay, what's going on? You haven't even tried to steal so much as a French fry the whole time we've been here."

House shrugged. "Tired, I guess. The flight took a lot out of me."

"Right. The flight." The two continued to sit in silence.

Eventually House spoke again. "I thought I saw her."

"Who?"

House gave Wilson a pointed look. "You know who. Don't make me say it."

"Cameron?"

House groaned. "Oh…dammit, see, there you go. Now you've done it. Say it two more times and she'll appear like Beetlejuice."

"House…" Wilson rolled his eyes. "There is no way you saw her. You're thinking about her just because you're here. It's only natural that you'll see something that will remind you of her."

"Rationalization Man strikes again." It was House's turn to roll his eyes. "I'm whipped. Let's head back."

"Might as well. First lecture starts at 8."

"Right, I _totally _plan on being up and at 'em for that one…"

**So...is it Cameron, or isn't it? Read and review.**


	3. Coffee and Conversation

**Usual disclaimers: I only own one character here. You guess which one. **

When House woke the next morning, Wilson was long gone. He glanced at the clock and saw it was nearly 10:00. _I suppose I'd better at least put in an appearance at this thing._ House heaved himself out of bed and stumbled toward the bathroom.

Soon House was cleaned up, dressed, and in search of a decent cup of coffee. He found the coffee shop just outside the hotel and stood in line. As he approached the counter, he smelled that vanilla spice scent again and saw a flash of blonde hair just outside his line of vision.

"Half-caff latte, please." House froze when he heard the voice. There was no mistaking that voice. From just behind her, he took her in. She looked just as he remembered. Slender, petite, with curves in just the right places.

She paid for her coffee and started to turn from the counter, nearly running headlong into House. Her green eyes widened with shock as they met House's ice blue orbs.

"House!" She squeaked in surprise.

"Long time no see, Doctor Cameron." He drawled in an attempt to cover up his sudden case of nerves. House could feel his heart pounding as they stood there appraising each other.

"Sir, sir…SIR. Can I help you?" The clerk finally got House's attention. He had forgotten where he was.

House turned to Cameron. "Can I meet you outside?" Cameron nodded speechlessly and went to find them a table outside.

Cameron was seated at the table, a light breeze blowing through her hair, delicate hands wrapped around her coffee. House limped over and eased into a chair across from her. An uncomfortable silence washed over them.

Finally Cameron spoke. "So…what brings you to Chicago?" _What is he doing here?! Just when I thought I'd never see him again…_

"Medical conference." House answered sharply, a bit more than he intended. "Don't worry, I'm not stalking you. Wilson's here too, somewhere. Probably sitting in some lecture, like he's supposed to." He rolled his eyes at the idea. "And you?"

"Oh, you know…same old, same old. I'm actually working in my specialty for a change. It's kind of nice."

They fell silent again, years worth of unasked questions between them. House glanced at Cameron's hands, noting the ring that graced her…right hand. _That doesn't mean much. She's probably seeing someone…he just hasn't managed to put a ring on that other hand yet._

Cameron surreptitiously examined House. His face was a little rougher, a few more lines running across than there were when she left. The hair had more salt than pepper in it now, but those piercing blue eyes still cut through her. The hands were still the same, long, graceful fingers drumming on the table in some unknown rhythm.

She still couldn't believe that she ran into him here, of all places. _Of all the coffee shops, in all the world, he has to walk into this one…_Cameron smiled to herself at her silliness. She still wasn't entirely sure that House was telling the truth about the medical conference. It didn't seem like the sort of thing he'd volunteer for. Cameron suspected that Cuddy, and to some lesser degree, Wilson, had a lot to do with it. Maybe he was giving her the straight story. It just seemed like a very odd…coincidence.

Just then she was startled by a young man who was suddenly beside her. He put an arm around her shoulders and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, babe."

"Kevin, hi!" For the second time that day, she squeaked in surprise. Kevin had a funny habit of turning up unexpectedly. It was sweet, but at times a little disconcerting. "Oh, I want you to meet someone." Cameron gestured toward House. "This is Doctor Gregory House. I used to work for him at Princeton-Plainsboro."

"Oh, right…I remember you talking about him." Kevin and House appraised each other coolly across the table. Finally Kevin extended a hand to House. "Nice to meet you. Allie's told me a lot about you."

_Yeah, I'll bet._ "You, too." House grasped Kevin's hand in a firm handshake. "So…how'd you two _lovebirds_ meet?" His tone was touched with a bit of sarcasm.

Kevin pulled up a chair next to Cameron. "Friend of a friend. One of Cameron's friends threw a little housewarming party for her when she bought her condo, and the friend invited me. We met, we hit it off, and here we are." He wrapped an arm around Cameron, almost protectively, kissing her on her temple. "I bought her that ring she's wearing, but she gets a little twitchy when I start talking about putting a ring on that other hand, don't you, babe?"

Cameron laughed nervously as House narrowed his eyes. "Right…We've only been dating a few months, and he's already talking crazy. Can you believe him, House?"

House smiled slightly, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Yeah, I can believe it. A little bit of history repeating, wouldn't you say, Cameron?"

Cameron looked down at her hands as House rose. "Well, I'd best be heading on. I'm sure Wilson is bored to death at that conference without me. Nice seeing you again, Cameron. Kevin." He nodded to them both, picked up his cane and his coffee, and started down the street.

_Dammit. I should have known. No way in hell would she be flying through Chicago solo. This conference was a stupid idea. Just wait until I catch up with Wilson…_

Cameron watched House limp away, a hint of sadness in her eyes. Time had changed them both, it seemed. She could have sworn she saw a bit of disappointment in those dazzling blue eyes when Kevin showed up. All of a sudden she wished she could have a little more time with her former boss. Cameron wouldn't have minded spending a bit of time catching up, and maybe they would have if Kevin hadn't shown up.

"Time for me to fly, Allie. Meet me at my place for dinner tonight?" Kevin's cheerful voice cut through her thoughts, pulling her back to reality.

"Of course." Cameron kissed him gently on the cheek. "I'll see you later."

Cameron sat there a while longer as her latte grew cold. Kevin was a great guy, no doubt. Funny, smart, kind, with bright red hair and sparkling blue eyes. _What is it about blue eyes?_ She laughed to herself, then thought about what House had said. _A bit of history repeating…no, House. Not this time. Kevin's a keeper. I won't make that mistake again. Just because I'm in no rush to marry Kevin…it doesn't mean anything._

She sighed and pitched her coffee cup into the garbage. Reflection time was over, and her work awaited her. It wasn't going to do itself, after all.

**This is the part where you read and review. I'll keep up the updating. :)**


	4. Why They Call It The Blues

**Disclaimers: Nope, don't own them. Kevin's all mine.**

The door to the hotel room flew open and banged against the wall. House stood in the doorway, blue eyes blazing with anger and hurt.

"You son of a bitch."

Wilson looked up from the book he was reading, baffled by his friend's entrance. He hadn't seen him all day, and their paths somehow hadn't crossed at the conference. "Sorry?"

House stepped across the threshold, slamming the door behind him. "You heard me." He flopped himself into a chair, not bothering to take off his coat. "Guess who I ran into today? I'll give you three shots at it."

Wilson arched an eyebrow, waiting for House to continue his tirade. "I'm going to guess…"

"Cameron. That's right. Good guess, Jimmy." House scrubbed his hand over his face before continuing. "Oh, and you know the funny part? You'll love this." He took a deep breath before continuing. "Turns out she's not alone."

Wilson sighed, dropping his shoulders. Sure, he and Cuddy both knew there was a vague chance of a run-in with Cameron when they made arrangements for this conference, but neither one of them thought anything of it. They certainly hadn't foreseen anything like this.

"House, what the hell did you expect? Did you really think she'd still be a solo act, pining away for Chase or…"

"Of course I didn't!" House exploded. "It was just…awkward. That's all. I'm sure he's one hell of a guy. He'd have to be to put up with her." _Right. You didn't get your hopes up or anything, did you? God, what an idiot. _

A idea struck Wilson. "You know, there's a blues club down the street from the hotel. Why don't we go check it out? Might…distract you for a while."

House shrugged, still brooding. "Sure, might as well. Drinks are probably cheaper, too. I know how you like to watch your money."

Wilson rolled his eyes, nodding in agreement. "Nice of you to be so concerned about _my _bottom line."

The two men walked into the nightclub and settled in at the bar, ordering up a beer for Wilson and a bourbon for House. The band started warming up and the lights started going down when something caught House's eye.

He nudged Wilson in the ribs. "Look over there. I'm pretty sure that's him."

Wilson glanced up, but didn't bother to look where House was pointing. "I am not here to indulge your obsessions tonight. I'm here to have a couple of beers, listen to some music, and unwind from my day. I suggest you do the same."

House huffed in annoyance, but turned around to continue nursing his bourbon. Suddenly a voice carried over from across the room.

"Doctor House! Hey, man, over here!" House turned around to see a young redheaded man waving his hand wildly in his and Wilson's direction. _Kevin. Great, this is just great. I'm sure he's got Miss Thing with him too…Oh yes, there she is. Gorgeous as ever. Shit. I need another drink._

"Who's that?" Wilson squinted across the room. "Hey, is that Cameron? Who's the guy with her?" House fixed him with a harsh glare. "Ooh…okay…"

"Way to put it together, Columbo." House rolled his eyes skyward and slapped the bar. "Barkeep! Set me up." The bartender presented House with another bourbon, which he proceeded to drain in one shot. "Let's grace the happy couple with our presence, shall we?"

"We _shall not_. All you want to do is harass them. Leave them alone."

"You saw him waving at me like a goddamn idiot! Obviously he was inviting me...us over. Let's not be _rude_, Jimmy." House hopped off the barstool, landing mostly on his left leg while grabbing his cane.

Wilson groaned internally. There was no way this was going to end well. No way at all. The least he could do was make some vague attempt at damage control. Maybe he could at least keep House from getting kicked out of the club.

Cameron walked out of the bathroom and toward her table. She froze slightly when she saw who was seated there. Kevin, of course, but also someone who vaguely looked like Wilson and…_House?!_ Her stomach flipped a little when she saw House sitting there. _Oh, my God. What the hell is he doing here? If he so much as says one word…_

"Allie!" Kevin called out cheerfully to her. "Look who I managed to drag over!" House fixed her with a steady, unreadable gaze, and Wilson looked vaguely uncomfortable, but waved anyway.

Cameron plastered a smile on her face and reached over to give Wilson a little hug around his shoulders. "Wilson! House told me you were here, but I didn't expect to see you!" She tentatively touched House on the shoulder. "Good to see you again, House. Kind of funny to see you twice in one day. Small world, isn't it?"

"_Very_ small world, Cameron." House covered Cameron's hand with his own. His touch sent an unexpected shiver through her.

They settled in to listen to the band, Wilson making small talk with Kevin and Cameron, House being unusually distant. He watched Cameron across the table, observing how she interacted with Kevin. Something about it seemed…off, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Kevin put his arm around Cameron, pulling her close, clearly affectionate. She seemed…distant, even as she kept up a veneer of friendliness as she chatted with Wilson.

Cameron kept sneaking occasional glances at House throughout the band's set. He leaned back in his seat, continuing to put away the bourbon, observing the conversation at the table, but not participating. House would tap his long fingers along with the music, but otherwise seemed far away.

Finally the set ended and the lights came up. Kevin excused himself to visit the restroom, and Wilson went back to the bar for another beer, leaving Cameron and House alone at the table. The silence stretched between them, impossibly awkward. At last, House broke the silence.

"It's funny." He started, fingers trailing the edge of his glass. "Kevin doesn't seem like your kind of guy."

_Oh, here we go…_Cameron sighed to herself and took a sip of her wine. "What makes you say that, House?"

House shrugged. "Dunno. You used to prefer a good challenge. Kevin doesn't seem…challenging. At all."

Cameron frowned in annoyance. "It's been three years since I left, House. People change."

House shook his head. "Not like that. Not the very core of their being."

"He's a nice guy."

"He's _boring_. " House leaned across the table until he was nearly nose-to-nose with Cameron. "You _hate _boring."

"Maybe I'm ready for a little boring." Cameron shot back. "Maybe, just maybe, excitement and drama are overrated. Did you ever consider that?!"

He studied her, those startling blue eyes roving over her face, as if searching for clues, anything that would tell him he was right. Finally he leaned in as close as he could without touching her, whispering in her ear.

"I did. Then I totally dismissed it. Wouldn't you like to know why?" Cameron nodded, too stunned to say anything. "Kevin's a placeholder, which tells me…" House's lips were nearly touching her ear. "…you still don't know what you're looking for. Or you know, but you're too goddamn scared to go after it. Either way…"

"What's going on, here?" Kevin's voice made Cameron jump and pull away from House. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Whoa, whoa, man. We were just catching up, right, Cameron?" House leaned back in his chair, raising his hands in mock defense. "Nobody's hitting on _your_ girl. Matter of fact, Jimmy and I were just leaving, weren't we?"

By now Wilson had returned, with a full beer in his hand. He gave House a resigned look, but nodded anyway. "Right…early morning and all that." House heaved himself from his seat and grabbed his coat and his cane. "Nice seeing you again, Cameron. Stay in touch…if you can. Kevin." House extended his hand to Kevin, but he didn't take it, regarding House suspiciously.

After the two men left, Cameron excused herself from the table. She stared in the bathroom mirror, trying to get her emotions under control. _Damn you, House._ Their closeness stirred up all kinds of emotions that she thought she had long since packed away. For three years, she thought she was safe. He had never tried to contact her in all that time, so she had assumed that she would never see him again. That was when she had started dating Kevin.

Kevin. _Kevin's a placeholder._ She hated to think that there was any truth to that statement. He wasn't exciting, and there wasn't much drama in their relationship. It was calm and quiet, light years away from her tumultuous relationship with Chase and her contentious working relationship with House. It wasn't boring.

…_You don't know what you want…or you're too goddamn scared to go after it. Damn you, House. I have what I want. Just accept it._

Cameron didn't know why she was having such a hard time convincing herself. No idea at all.

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	5. Tell Me Lies, Tell Me Sweet Little Lies

**Disclaimers and stuff: Don't own 'em, never will. Kevin is my sole creation.**

Kevin and Cameron drove back to her condo in silence. The confrontation with House had taken a lot out of Cameron, and they left after the second set, Cameron explaining that she was tired after her long workday.

Of course it was just an excuse. House had gotten so close to her at the club. She could still smell him, a mix of bourbon and some hint of spicy cologne. It was nervewracking, a bit sexy, even though it shouldn't have been. After all, she was with Kevin. Things were good, weren't they? So why in the hell was she thinking about House at all? It had been _three years_, for Christ's sake. Any feelings for him Cameron might have had should have long since dissipated.

But they hadn't. That was a problem.

Kevin had looked so angry when he came back to the table, seeing House stretched across the table, looking like he was going to do…something. But of course, Kevin didn't need to worry. It was just House being…House, up to his usual tricks. That was all. Cameron was going to have a hell of a time explaining that to him, though.

He parked his car in the underground garage and made their way to the elevator, riding the twenty floors to Cameron's condo. He still hadn't said anything, and that worried her. Cameron was still lost in thought when they arrived at her door.

"Well…I guess this is good night." Cameron half-smiled and tilted her head at Kevin.

"Guess so."

_Say something. Say anything. 'I love you.' 'Fuck you.' SOMETHING._

Kevin started to walk away after barely brushing Cameron's cheek. He got halfway down the hallway, then stopped and turned around, walking back to her.

"I wish you'd figure out what the hell you want from me, Allie." He leaned in a little closer. "If you let that goddamned House get that close to you, you should let me all the way in, not this part-time bullshit."

He finally bent down, kissing her on the forehead. "Give me a call when you figure it out. Don't keep me waiting, though. I might not be around." And with that, he finally turned around and walked away, disappearing down the hallway.

Cameron knew she should have been running down that hallway, chasing Kevin, telling him she loved him. She couldn't figure out why she didn't, or why she had the inexplicable urge to track down a certain blue-eyed doctor.

House woke up the next morning, bleary-eyed and in pain. He was hungover, no doubt about it. He had lost track of how many bourbons he'd tossed back at the blues club last night. Jesus, now his leg _and _his head were killing him. Oh, this was going to be a fun flight back to Jersey.

Wilson was nudging him, trying to get House moving. Wilson wasn't feeling so hot himself. Between the beer and keeping House away from Cameron's boyfriend, he felt like he had been run ragged. Finally they both got moving, cleaned up, packed, and out the door.

House was dead silent as Wilson drove them to the airport. His wraparound sunglasses hid more than his bloodshot eyes, Wilson knew that for sure. The week hadn't turned out anything like either of them expected. Wilson was glad to see Cameron, of course, and it looked like she was doing well. Kevin was, as House had put it, one hell of a guy, and genuinely seemed to like and care for Cameron. Something wasn't right between them, though, and that suspicion was confirmed when he saw House leaning across the table, his mouth practically on Cameron's ear.

Cameron wasn't pulling away. Wilson didn't know what to make of that.

House continued his silence as they made their way through security and got settled on the plane. He glared at Wilson when he tried to start a conversation, then stuck his earbuds in his ears and cranked up his I Pod. Wilson gave up and started reading his book.

House closed his eyes, hoping that if he pretended to sleep, Wilson would finally leave him the hell alone. He needed to think things through, and Wilson's constant chatter wasn't helping his thought processes any. Damn Cameron anyway. He had expected her to pull away when he got as close as he did. If she didn't feel anything for him, she should have laughed in his face, confirmed what he thought he knew.

He didn't know what to think anymore.

After all this time, Cameron still had power over him. He was a man who prided himself on tightly controlling his emotions, and that was getting harder and harder. It was just as well that he was leaving her behind in Chicago, with that stupid damn redheaded boyfriend of hers.

_Kevin. Yeah, about him._ He was furious when he saw how close House was to Cameron. Kevin was so god awful easy to read. It was kind of pathetic, really, especially as Cameron didn't seem to quite reciprocate his feelings. She was going to have a lot of explaining to do to that boy when they got home, for sure.

It didn't matter anyway. House had his life, Cameron clearly had hers, and they would go their separate ways. The chances of their paths crossing again would be minimal, at best. Probably better that way anyway.

Cameron held her cell phone in her hand, debating whether she should make that call. Maybe House was right. Maybe she was just too damned scared to go after what she wanted. She should have just stayed in Princeton. None of this drama would have happened if she had just stayed put and dealt with whatever feelings she had then.

Now it was too late. She was sure of it. Better to just call Kevin and beg forgiveness. It would definitely be easier than breaking all her Chicago ties and trying to go back to Princeton. There was nothing there for her anyway.

As she was having this internal debate, her hand started ringing. She didn't even bother checking the caller ID before she opened it to answer.

"This is Cameron."

On the other end, House blinked in surprise. He didn't think she'd have the same phone number after all this time. Lucky break.

"Hey, Cameron. Long time no talk."

"House?! Where the hell are you?"

"Just landed in Newark. Thought maybe you'd be ready to finish that conversation we started last night."

Cameron let out a resigned sigh. "No, House. There's nothing to talk about. My life is here. It's home. I'm happy."

"Right." House paused, trying to collect his thoughts. "So everything's all hunky dory with Kevin now, right? You two kissed and made up, I assume?"

"Of course. He knew you didn't mean anything by it. It was a simple misunderstanding."

"Liar." House snapped and hung up.

Yes, she was a liar. But House didn't need to know that. Let him think what he wanted to think. None of it mattered anyway.

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	6. Mirror, Mirror

**Finally back to this one. Still don't own those House folks, just borrowing them for a while.**

It was an uneventful drive from Newark to Princeton. The closer Cameron got to Princeton, the more nervous she got. She knew there was a good chance of seeing House once she got there. That was the risk she was taking by coming to Foreman's wedding.

She had received the invitation about two months before. To say Cameron was surprised was an understatement. Hadley, Foreman's previous girlfriend, had finally succumbed a couple of years before to the Huntington's, and he had been devastated. Apparently he had finally picked up and moved on. _Good for him, _Cameron thought with just a hint of bitterness.

Her own relationship with Kevin finally sputtered and died a month ago. Ever since their run-in with House at that blues club six months before, Kevin was suspicious of Cameron's supposed lingering feelings for House. Since she couldn't, or wouldn't, commit to him fully, he had finally given up and moved on. Within the month Cameron had run into him and his new girlfriend. She was wearing a ring similar to the one Kevin had given Cameron. Inwardly she had rolled her eyes, but outwardly she smiled and chatted. It still hurt, a little, but the pain was easing.

Cameron decided to accept Foreman's invitation. It had been a long time since she'd seen Princeton, and there were more than a few people she genuinely wanted to see. Wilson, for one.

She had felt bad for Wilson that night. Wilson, Kevin, and she had been having a great time, catching up on all the PPTH gossip. When House insisted on leaving, he almost looked disappointed. Cameron hoped she'd have more time to chat with him at the wedding.

Cameron arrived at the hotel and got checked in and unpacked. Before long she was ready to meet up with Wilson, as they had arranged. She hit his speed-dial number and waited for him to pick up.

"This is Wilson."

"Hi, it's Cameron."

"Cameron! I take it you made it?"

"Sure did. I'm ready to meet up whenever you are."

"Give me ten minutes."

"Great, see you soon."

They hung up and Cameron prepared to meet Wilson at the bar and grill near the hospital. When she walked in, the familiarity of the place washed over her. She remembered many nights, after a tough case, gathering with Chase and Foreman for a few beers and relaxation.

Chase. Damn. Another ghost from her past she wasn't quite ready to face.

This was a mistake. A big, fat, horrible mistake. She should have just stayed in Chicago and sent a card and a gift to the happy couple.

Wilson walked in, looking around briefly before spotting Cameron. He gave her a quick hug before sitting down.

"It's good to see you again, Cameron."

"Same here, Wilson."

They each ordered a beer, relaxing and chatting while Wilson relayed the latest goings-on at Princeton-Plainsboro. It was almost as if she had never left. Only a few of the names had changed. She almost missed the place, until she remembered who else was there.

"So…How's Chase?"

_Chase? She's leading to something. Why doesn't she just come out and ask?_ "He's…good. Still in the surgical rotation, dating an anesthesiologist. Would you believe they met in the OR one day?"

Cameron laughed. "Doesn't surprise me." _Okay, here's the 50,000 dollar question._ "What about…House?"

_Ah-ha. I knew she'd ask about him._ "Same as when he left you in that blues club six months ago. A cranky, miserable bastard. Which is about what he was long before that." Wilson took a long drink of his beer. "So…I thought maybe Kevin would come with you. As far as I know, the invitation said you plus a guest…"

"Kevin and I are over." Cameron said it quickly, almost too quickly. Wilson was suspicious, but let it go. He was pretty sure it had something to do with the incident at the blues club. If looks could have killed, he would have had to bury House in Chicago.

"Oh…sorry to hear that."

Cameron shrugged. "Well, hey, it happens, right?"

Wilson nodded. "That it does, that it does…"

They enjoyed the rest of the meal and went their separate ways, agreeing to meet up at Foreman's wedding tomorrow.

Cameron returned to her hotel and stretched out on the bed. She was relieved, mostly, that House hadn't shown up with Wilson. She didn't know what Wilson told House to keep him away, but it must have been one hell of a tale.

There was a small part of her that was a little disappointed that House _didn't _show up. Damned if she could figure out why.

House sat at his piano, knocking back bourbon and playing random chords while his mind wandered. Wilson was up to something, and he suspected that something was no good. Foreman's wedding was tomorrow, and he was still on the fence about going. No, that wasn't quite true. He wasn't on the fence. He really didn't want to go. Weddings were _so _not his thing. If it weren't for the open bar at the reception and a high chance of the groom making a damned fool of himself after a few drinks, he wouldn't think about going at all.

He was still pondering the possibilities when Wilson walked in. Wilson took off his coat, hung it up, then plopped down on the couch.

"I had the most interesting evening." Wilson started.

"Ah, finally got to third with the transsexual nurse? Well played, sir."

Wilson cast a look at House, rolling his eyes before continuing."Noo…I had dinner with Cameron. She's in town for Foreman's wedding."

House scowled. "And I care about this why?"

"She came out here alone."

House stopped playing the piano. Why was she here alone? Thought things were okey-dokey fine with that dipshit Kevin…

"Now why the hell would she do that?"

"She didn't say. All she said was that they were over."

"Interesting." House returned to the piano, downing the rest of his bourbon and beginning his keyboard ramblings again.

"So…are you going to the wedding tomorrow?"

"Might as well." House shrugged. "Not like I have anything else going on that day."

Cameron awoke the next morning, yawning and stretching. The wedding wasn't until that afternoon, and she had plenty of time to enjoy her breakfast and coffee. Her mind drifted back to her conversation with Wilson the night before.

_A cranky, miserable bastard._ House had never been a cheerful person. He was snarky, sarcastic, sometimes downright mean, but almost always with a purpose. The House that Wilson described sounded like the man who called her out of the blue almost as soon as he had landed back in Jersey. He had called her a liar. Maybe he was right, but he had no way of knowing about the halfhearted confrontation with Kevin.

She took her time getting ready. Cameron didn't know why she was getting so nervous. It's not like House was going to show up anyway. He _hated _these sorts of events, any sort of large gathering. It was no big deal. She put on her simple grass green shift dress, topped with a floral shrug. Strappy black heels, a bit of makeup, and a spritz of a soft floral scent completed the ensemble, and she was ready to go. Cameron took a deep breath and pushed through the door, ready to face whatever was waiting for her at that wedding.

It was a lovely ceremony, and Cameron was glad to see Foreman so happy. She walked through the receiving line, hugging Foreman and squeezing the bride's hand. She was a beautiful woman, a nurse practitioner that had met Foreman through mutual friends.

"Good to see you, Cameron. Glad you could make it."

"I'm glad I came. It was worth coming all the way from Chicago."

"Next time don't stay away so long." Foreman leaned over and whispered in her ear. "When you see House…"

Cameron fixed him with a glare. "I have no intention of seeing House. I'm here to see you get married, maybe a few others, and then it's back to Chicago for me."

Foreman shrugged. "Suit yourself. See you at the reception."

Cameron pulled into the parking lot of the reception hall, found her space, and entered the hall. She found Wilson and Cuddy and sat with them, spending some time chatting with Cuddy. As they were chatting, she smelled something familiar, heard a familiar step-thump, a clatter of a cane hanging over the back of the chair next to her.

_House. Damn._

"Cameron." House's tone revealed nothing. "Where's the redhead?"

"Left him in Chicago." Cameron lied. House narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything. Wilson looked baffled, but wisely said nothing.

"I'm heading to the bar. All of a sudden I need a drink." House heaved himself from his chair and limped toward the bar. Cameron sat as if frozen, staring at her hands in her lap.

Cameron, what the hell is wrong with you?!" Wilson hissed at her. "Why would you bother to lie to him?"

Cameron shrugged. "I'm leaving tomorrow anyway. Does it really matter?"

Wilson leaned back in his chair. "Did you ever think of _why_ he's been so miserable?" Cameron shook her head. "It's you. He misses you. Why do you think he called you?"

"I just thought he was playing his games. What else was I supposed to think?! Like I said, it doesn't matter anyway."

"What doesn't matter?" House had returned, a bourbon in his hand. There was a sudden silence at the table.

House and Cameron stared at each other, blue meeting green in a battle of wills. Cameron blinked first. "I'll be back. Excuse me."

House watched her as she walked away. She was so lovely, so gloriously feminine. If Kevin cut her loose, he was more of an idiot that he originally thought. _Dumbass didn't deserve her anyway._

In the bathroom, Cameron once again found herself in the mirror, trying to talk herself down. She would be fine, just fine. She was here to celebrate the good fortune of an old friend. Cameron would not allow House to mess with her head.

She ran a cool towel over her face, collected herself and her thoughts, and pulled herself up to her full height. _Bring it on, House. I'm ready for you._

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	7. What Hurts The Most

**Thank you for your continued support. Usual disclaimers apply. I don't own the House kids, just the occasional OC that floats through here.**

Cameron walked out of the bathroom, head held high, and headed immediately for the bar. She was going to have a few drinks, maybe dance a little, and hang out with old friends and colleagues. If House wanted to mess with her, too bad. He wouldn't fall for his insanity another time.

House watched Cameron as she emerged from the bathroom and made her way to the bar. She was dressed so simply, but she wore it with such grace. It was breathtaking. Seeing her again stirred up a myriad of emotions in him, none of which he knew how to handle.

Kevin seemed to be out of the picture, if House was reading Cameron correctly. Otherwise, he was sure that the redheaded boy would have been right beside her, his arm wrapped around her, gazing at her with those stupid puppy dog eyes. Now that she was here alone…well, it scared him. He had no idea what to do. She was going back to Chicago tomorrow, and it was unlikely House would make any headway with her in one night. Not to say that he wasn't going to try, though.

Cameron returned to the table with her drink and sat down. Foreman's best man started introductions and soon everyone was laughing and clapping, reveling in the joy of Foreman and his new wife. Soon after, the DJ started the music, and after the traditional first dance, guests started moving out onto the dance floor. Wilson gestured to Cuddy, inviting her out onto the dance floor, leaving House and Cameron alone.

"You know, I do believe he did that on purpose." Cameron laughed faintly and took a drink of her beer.

House played with the edge of his glass and rolled his eyes. "He thinks he's a _yenta_. Cuddy's no better. How do you think I wound up at that conference?"

"You don't think…"

House barked out a laugh. "I don't think. I know. Although…I don't know why either one of them didn't know you had…someone."

"Not anymore." Cameron spoke so quietly that House almost didn't catch it.

"Really…interesting." So it _was _true. Cameron was a free woman once again. Damn.

The music switched to a slow song, and couples streamed out onto the dance floor as the singles drifted back to their tables. House spotted Wilson and Cuddy dancing closely, and he nudged Cameron, pointing to them.

"We should go…encourage them."

Cameron rolled her eyes. "No, you just want to mess with them. Leave them alone. They're obviously having a nice time. Don't ruin it."

"I'm not going to ruin anything." House had a mock innocent expression on his face. "It's all in good fun. Trust me."

She fixed him with an exasperated expression. "Two of the most dangerous words in the English language." Cameron took the hand House held out and they moved to the dance floor, House moving a bit awkwardly without his cane.

They sidled up to Wilson and Cuddy as the next song started, an old Eric Clapton classic. House smiled slightly to himself as he drew Cameron close to him. Okay, he had started out wanting to harass Wilson and Cuddy, but…they were awfully cute together. Suddenly, he just didn't have the heart to mess with them. Plenty of time for that later on. Right now, he was just enjoying the feel of Cameron in his arms.

He pulled her a little closer, inhaling Cameron's soft floral scent. House wondered if Cameron could feel his heart pounding, feeling like it was going to burst right out of his chest. This was all going to disappear when Cameron left tomorrow, and he wanted to commit this moment, this night, to memory. Who knew when he would see her again? _Probably never. Better enjoy this while I have it._

Cameron closed her eyes, gently swaying back and forth with House. She felt him pull her in closer, and she wrapped her arms tighter around him in response. He smelled of bourbon and whatever soap he used, with a hint of some sort of spicy, musky scent. It was more than a little intoxicating, and Cameron was just enjoying this time out on the floor, the original intention forgotten.

She was headed back to Chicago tomorrow, and suddenly she felt a bit of sadness at leaving. For once, she and House weren't at odds. If nothing else, they were parting on much better terms this time around. Who knew when they'd see each other again?

The song ended and the DJ took a break as the guests wandered to the tables, outside, making conversation with Foreman and his wife. Cameron and House slowly separated, drifting away from each other, as if reluctant to part.

Finally House let her go, his hands briefly brushing Cameron's as he limped his way back to the table. He picked up his drink and his cane, heading out onto the patio just off the reception hall. House pulled a cigar out of his jacket, clipped the end, and lit up, taking a thoughtful puff as he sipped his bourbon.

God, Cameron had felt so good, so _right_ in his arms. House was reminded of the impulsive hug she had given him just before she ran off to Chicago and her new life. This was different…_very _different. He wanted to ask her to stay, but he knew that was impossible. She had her work, that condo, a life, commitments. He couldn't, wouldn't ask her to give that up for a maybe.

A whiff of floral passed him on the patio, and Cameron was suddenly beside him, still nursing her beer. The sight of this lovely, extraordinarily feminine creature working her way through a bottle of beer was a gloriously sexy juxtaposition to House, and he smiled a little at the mental picture.

"Cameron." He nodded in greeting.

"House." She spoke quietly, nodding in return.

Cameron stared ahead, not speaking, as if deep in thought. House wondered what was going on in that pretty head of hers. If her thoughts were anything like his…no, he didn't even dare to hope. She was probably just trying to figure out the least awkward way of saying goodbye…again.

Cameron snuck a glance at House. The lights of the patio cast shadows over House's face, hiding whatever thoughts might be lurking there. Saying goodbye would be difficult this time, even harder than that first time years ago. She watched him sip at his bourbon, taking the occasional puff on that cigar and playing with it in his hand. Finally, she moved closer to him, placing a delicate hand on his shoulder.

House turned in response to her touch to see Cameron looking up at him with those lovely green eyes. He stubbed out the cigar, set down his glass, and snaked an arm around her waist, pulling her closer, just as he did on the dance floor earlier. Soon House had both arms wrapped around her waist, his body gently pressed against hers. Her arms reached up around his shoulders. The DJ had started the music again, a slightly faster number designed to restart the party…Earth, Wind, and Fire, if House remembered correctly. He chuckled, knowing there was no way in hell he would get out on that dance floor now. Although…it might be worth taking a little peek to see if Wilson had managed to get Cuddy back out there.

In the middle of his thought, he felt Cameron push herself up on tiptoe and press her lips to his. He stumbled slightly in surprise, but soon found himself giving in to the sensation. All the feelings he had repressed for so long suddenly poured out of him as he pushed further, slipping his tongue into his mouth and gently exploring.

Cameron gasped in response, dropping her hands from House's shoulders to his arms. She didn't expect such a strong response from him, or from herself. He pulled away from her mouth, bending down to plant soft kisses down her throat to her collarbone, inhaling that soft floral scent as he went. His hands drifted from her waist to the soft curve of her hips, slowly sliding down, then coming back up to rest around her ribcage.

God, she was irresistible. He took her in hungrily, not knowing when he'd see her again, if ever. House tried to imagine the soft skin he was sure lay underneath that dress, but knowing there was no way he'd find out tonight. Dammit. This had to stop, right here, right now.

He broke away from her, taking in that soft, delicate face, those green eyes, feeling the softness of her curves under that dress. House sighed resignedly and turned away from Cameron, picking up his glass from the small table.

"This is stupid. We shouldn't be doing this. For Christ's sake, you're leaving tomorrow."

"I know." Cameron twisted her fingers together, looking down at the stones of the patio.

"You should go." House's voice was rough with emotion.

"Right."

Instead of moving away, though, Cameron stepped over to where House stood. He was leaning heavily on his cane, head bent down, cursing his own foolishness. She slipped her arms around his waist and squeezed him gently, pressing her body against his. He seemed to freeze a little at her touch, finally touching her hands.

"Thank you for the dance."

"Sure."

"Good bye, House."

"Bye."

Just like that, she was gone, and House was alone. Again. Whoever said it was better to have loved and lost…was full of shit. It wasn't better. He would have been better off never seeing her at all.

**Curses, foiled again. :P Read, review, love.**

**Music Credits:**

**Eric Clapton, _Wonderful Tonight  
_Earth, Wind, and Fire, _September_**


	8. Taking Chances

**Back again. :) As usual, I don't own any of them. Just playing with them for a while.**

House sat in his office Monday morning, brooding over the weekend's events. His mind kept replaying that kiss over and over. Dammit, why did he let her go? No, he didn't just let her go. He pushed her away, like he always did. Of course, it was illogical for him to ask Cameron to stay, but did that mean he shouldn't have even tried?

It didn't matter now. What was done was done, and Cameron was back in Chicago now, back to her life, and House was certain she had already let the weekend's events go. Hell, it probably hadn't meant nearly as much to her as it had meant to House. He was probably sitting in here obsessing for nothing.

He heaved himself out of his chair and into the conference room. With Foreman off on his honeymoon, his team would require a little extra direction and supervision. It was just as well, he supposed. House needed the extra work to keep his mind off Cameron, anyway.

Cameron sat out on the balcony of her condo, enjoying a late morning cup of coffee. She was grateful that she had asked for a vacation day to rest and recover from her weekend. It had been a full, busy weekend, especially Saturday night. That kiss with House had nearly brought her to her knees with its intensity. It had felt so good, so right, like they belonged together in that moment. Then House had pushed her away, like he always did. Cameron understood the logic behind the move, but it didn't help any. She had boarded the plane yesterday with a heavy heart. Wilson and Cuddy had both come to see her off, but not House. Just as well, she supposed. She and House had already said their goodbyes the night before.

Her mind replayed what Cuddy had said to her just before she left to catch her plane. Cuddy had pulled her into a close hug and whispered, "You know, there's always a place for you here, if you ever want to come back. Just give me a call. We'll arrange something."

She appreciated Cuddy's kindness, but Cameron knew there was more behind the statement than a simple job offer. Wilson had spotted House and Cameron out on the patio and had immediately relayed the information to Cuddy, spurring Cuddy to extend the offer to Cameron.

They were both crazy, Cameron decided. There was nothing that would make her return to Princeton now. House would surely make her life hell, holding her actions over her head forever. She couldn't, _wouldn't _give him that satisfaction. The man was insufferable when he was proved right, and she had no desire to feed that enormous ego of his.

That kiss sure had been something, though. The way he had wrapped himself around her, the blend of scents that were uniquely House, the feel of his surprisingly soft lips on hers…it wasn't something she would soon forget. Whether that could be the basis for pulling up stakes and returning to Princeton…that was another story. She needed time to think, time to sort this whole thing out in her mind before she made another move she'd regret.

House heard Wilson before he saw him. He was turned toward the sliding door that led to his office balcony when Wilson walked in and stood in front of his desk, hands on his hips.

"You're an idiot."

"Thank you, and a fine good morning to you, too." House turned in his chair, facing Wilson. "I assume you have a point buried somewhere in that statement?"

Wilson fixed House with an exasperated look. "You danced with her…you practically made out with her on the patio…then pushed her away. What the hell is wrong with you?!"

House rolled his eyes. "What the hell was I supposed to do? 'I love you, I miss you, please stay'? Yeah, like that was going to happen." He snorted and turned back to the sliding door. "She's got a life that has nothing to do with me. I don't have the right to ask her to give it all up for someone like me."

"And just what is _that_ supposed to mean?" Wilson's tone softened as he saw his friend's pain. "Who are you to decide that for her? Cameron's a big girl. She can make up her own mind, you know."

"I can't tell." House's voice was so quiet that Wilson could barely hear him. "If she was capable of that…she never would have left in the first place."

"Right. Because you were just so open with her _before _she left." Wilson leaned forward, palms on House's desk. "You had a great chance right there that night, to open up a little, tell her what you were feeling. The decision to stay or leave would have been on her, not you."

"She would have left anyway."

"You don't know that."

"I know _Cameron_." House turned and hit Wilson with an intense stare. "It wouldn't have mattered what I said. Trust me. She doesn't feel the way I do. Let it go. It's…easier this way."

"Easier, maybe. Not necessarily _better_." Wilson turned to leave the office. "I'll catch up with you later."

House nodded in silent response. His thoughts were churning, and he suddenly found himself considering picking up the phone, then put the thought aside and picked up the giant ball on his desk. No sense rushing things. He'd learned that the hard way the last time, when he'd called her from the airport. No way in hell was he opening himself to that again.

For some reason Cameron kept staring at her phone, as if she were willing it to ring. Who was she expecting to call, anyway? If she wanted to call House, she could just call him. No big deal, really. So what was the problem?

The problem was the way she left the other night. Talk about a hit-and-run. Although, in this case, it was more like a kiss-and-run. Really, she didn't blame House for being hurt. If it were her, she'd feel the same. It wasn't as if she tried to hurt him on purpose. She just got caught up in the moment, just like he did. House would be fine, she was sure of that. It probably didn't mean much of anything, anyway. _Get over yourself, Cameron._

Maybe, just maybe she'd call House later. Cameron felt like she owed him some sort of explanation for her behavior, even if it wasn't that important to him. She would feel better knowing she'd done her part to clear up any misunderstanding between them. Maybe then they could at least be friends, right? No harm in that.

Cameron didn't know if she could approach House that way after all that had transpired between them. She sighed in frustration and poured herself another cup of coffee. There was really only one way to figure this out. She picked up the phone and chose a number from her contacts.

"Wilson."

"Hi, Wilson. It's Cameron."

Wilson laughed on the other end. "You again? You just left yesterday. Surely you don't miss Princeton already?"

"Well…it's not Princeton." Cameron took a deep breath. "I was thinking about giving House a call."

Wilson sucked in his breath, then exhaled heavily. "It depends on your purpose." He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck before continuing. "He was pretty hurt when you left again."

"I know."

"Whatever you do…be honest with him. That's all he really wants from you. Well…I can't say that's all he wants from you…"

"What do you mean, Wilson?" As if she didn't already suspect.

_Please, Cameron. Don't be dense. _"I mean…the other night meant more to him than you think."

"I had no idea." Cameron spoke quietly. "If I'd known…"

"Yeah, he's not exactly The Great Communicator, I know that. Just…whatever you decide to do, be kind to him. He won't ever admit it, but he's kind of fragile."

"I know that." Cameron smiled a little at the idea. "Thanks, Wilson."

"Anytime, Cameron."

She closed her phone, staring at it for the longest time. Cameron decided to wait until later that night before she tried to call House. Chances are she'd just get his voice mail, and she couldn't see him returning her call. She was done running away. If nothing else, she wanted to clear things up between herself and House. Whatever happened after, happened.

**Feedback is love. Hit the button and let me know what you think.**


	9. Words Get In The Way

**You know the deal by now. I don't own the House folks. Never have, never will.**

House's team was able to clear up their case and finish their paperwork by that evening, leaving House to his own devices. He decided to take the time to unwind with a cigar out on the balcony before going home. Nothing much awaited him there except his musical instruments and TiVo, and right now he had interest in neither.

He pondered his conversation with Wilson earlier that day. What if he had pursued things further the night of the wedding? Would Cameron have stayed? Not likely, but perhaps they wouldn't have broken their ties completely.

What would happen if he called her? House still had the number, after all, and he knew it still worked. He took out his phone, turning it over in his hand. Would Cameron see his number on the Caller ID and not pick up? Would she answer only to hang up on him? So many doubts, so many questions, not enough answers.

There was really only one way to resolve this. All he had to do was grow a pair and pick up the damn phone. How difficult was that? On the other hand…it put him in a position he didn't care for. He didn't want to chase Cameron from halfway across the country. It messed with his pride. If she wanted to reach out, _she _should be the one. _She's _the one that ran away, not him. Yeah.

He stubbed his cigar, puffing out his cheeks in frustration. House sat for a while longer, watching the sun disappear behind the trees. He did kind of wonder what Cameron was doing right now. Maybe he should just make the damn call.

As he continued his internal debate, the phone in his hand started chiming. He checked the Caller ID. _I'll be damned…_

"You've reached House…I…have nothing clever to add."

Cameron smiled on the other end of the phone. "Well, _that's _different." She took a deep breath, already nervous enough about making this call. Now that she had him on the line, she didn't want to screw it up. "I just…I just wanted to call...to say…"

"Well, spit it out, girl. Hooker will be here in twenty. You know how they hate to be kept waiting."

Cameron winced a bit at the notion, then blurted out, "I'm sorry."

"What the hell for?"

"For…leaving. For leaving you."

House laughed a hollow laugh. "You didn't leave _me_. You just…ran away."

"No, dammit. You don't understand…"

"Of course I do. We shared a dance and one hell of a kiss, and you feel bad because it might have meant something. Well…don't sweat it. It didn't mean shit. Good night, Cameron." He snapped his phone closed.

_Dammit! _This was going to be tougher than she bargained for. She wasn't going to quit so easily, now. If it was one thing she had learned under her time with House, it was tenacity.

Cameron poured herself a large glass of wine and stepped out onto her balcony. It was a lovely summer night, and the sun was just starting its decent. She curled up in her chair and dialed again.

House picked up on the first ring. "I'm done talking about this, Cameron."

"Well guess what? _I'm not_."

This stubborn tone was new. It was kind of…hot. "Oh, really? I kind of figured you were done when you walked off that patio." House heaved himself out of his chair and wandered over to the balcony railing, leaning on it slightly.

"I thought I was, too." Cameron's voice dropped. "I was wrong."

Something about Cameron's tone made House pause. He had to dig deeper. "About what?"

"About…everything." She sighed and took a drink of her wine. "You were right. I was just running away."

"I could have told you that. Oh, wait, _I did_."

"Okay, look. You were right, I was wrong. Can we move on?"

House huffed, relighting his cigar and taking a puff. "Fine. What is there to move on to?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. I'm just trying…to be honest with you."

"That's a nice change of pace."

"Please…just…oh, forget it. I don't know why I bothered. Good bye, House." There was a resounding click on the other end.

_Jesus. Why is this so difficult? Let the woman kiss and make up with you. Oh, wait, that's kind of tough when she's way the hell in Chicago._

He limped back into his office, pulling a bottle of bourbon and a glass out of his bottom drawer. House took both items out to the balcony, filling his glass with the amber goodness. Finally, he found the nerve to call Cameron back.

"I thought you were done talking about this."

"Guess not. Maybe I was wrong about a few things, too." His fingers trailed along the edge of his glass as he spoke. "Maybe the reasons don't matter as much as we think."

"Of course they matter. I wouldn't be here for no reason. All I did was run away instead of dealing with things as they were. I really thought I'd be happier here. You know, find a nice guy, settle down…"

"Pop out a few rugrats?"

Cameron laughed at the idea. "Well…not so sure about that."

House paused, considering things. "Kevin wasn't _so _bad, was he?"

"He wasn't right for me. Nice guy, but…"

"…not very interesting." They spoke at the same time. House chuckled, a mellow sound she'd never heard from him.

"So…are we destined to be phone buddies now?" House took a long sip from his glass. "What's the grand plan here?"

"I don't know yet. Cuddy offered to pull a few strings if I wanted to come back to Princeton."

"Nice. You planning to take her up on it?"

Cameron shrugged. "Thinking about it."

House's heart lightened a bit. "That's a step forward, right?"

"Right." Cameron smiled, enjoying the easy conversation. "Hey, about Saturday night…"

"Yeah?" House was guarded, not ready to reveal himself completely.

"It _did_ mean something to me. It meant a hell of a lot. I just thought you should know."

House fell silent, and Cameron thought that he had hung up on her again. Finally he replied, "It meant a hell of a lot to me, too." His voice was rough and quiet. "I didn't want you to go, but…it wouldn't have worked anyway. You're there, I'm here, and even if you did come back…I'm saying _way_ too much."

"Don't sweat it." Cameron chuckled. "It's just you and me here. And House?"

"Yeah?"

"Never say never."

With that, she hung up, leaving House speechless and a little stunned. What the hell was _that _supposed to mean? He didn't even want to harbor a guess.

House drained his glass and stubbed out his cigar. Time for him to go home and work it out on the piano. His world had been turned around, and he didn't know what to think. He didn't even dare to hope for anything to come out of it. He'd believe it when he saw it.

Cameron looked at the phone after she hung up. She didn't even know why she said what she did. Certainly she wasn't trying to raise his hopes for nothing.

She _was _taking Cuddy's offer under consideration. Cameron was reasonably certain she could either sell the condo or find someone to sublet it without too much difficulty. From there it would a matter of making arrangements for a new place in Princeton and moving all her stuff. No harder than it had been the first time she moved halfway across the country.

But perhaps she was getting ahead of herself. If she pulled up stakes here only to have things not work out again…Cameron wasn't sure she could go through that kind of heartbreak again. She sure as hell didn't want to put House through that. He deserved better than that, far better. Who's to say she wasn't the one to give it to him?

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	10. Come Back To Me

**Okay, last chapter in the saga. :) Thank you for all your reviews and support. Once again, I don't own any of the House characters.**

Cameron and House continued their phone conversations throughout the summer and fall. Most nights would find one calling the other from each other's balconies, and they developed an easy, comfortable connection with each other that they had never seemed to be able to manage in person. House occasionally wondered if it were better this way, even though he missed her painfully every time they said good bye.

They chatted about the most mundane of things, House discussing his cases, sometimes bouncing ideas off Cameron, picking her brain. He missed this part of working with her, and she found herself missing the thrill of solving the puzzle. It wasn't enough to send her packing, but it was…fun. They argued about music, movies, and books, finally becoming attuned enough to each other to back off when one of them started getting too upset.

After months of debating with herself, Cameron finally worked up the courage to call Cuddy. She picked up her phone and dialed the familiar number.

"Cuddy."

"Cuddy? It's Cameron."

"Oh, hello! It's so good to hear from you again. How are you?" Cuddy's warm voice carried down the line.

"I'm good, I'm good." Cameron took a deep breath, steadying her nerves before continuing. "I was wondering if your offer was still open."

"Possibly…are you saying you might like to return?" A slow smile started to spread over Cuddy's face.

"I think so…" Cameron straightened herself up. "I mean…yes. Definitely yes."

"Wonderful! Let me do some digging around. I'll call you back in a little while."

Within half a day, Cuddy had returned Cameron's call. She informed Cameron that there would be an opening in the immunology, putting her on the inside track for department head within a few years if she so desired. It sounded almost too perfect to Cameron, and she jumped at the opportunity.

"Can you do me a favor, Cuddy?"

"Sure. Whatever I can do to help."

"Would you kind of…keep this from House? I'd kind of like to surprise him."

Cuddy smiled again, her whole face lighting up at the idea. "Not a problem. So we will see you in January, right?"

Cameron smiled, excitement pumping through her veins. "I'll be there."

Cameron spent the next couple of months readying her condo for sale and tying up loose ends at her job. Her boss nearly cried on her last day, hating to see Cameron go. Cameron would miss her, too, along with all the friends she had made during this stint in Chicago. Even Kevin showed up at her going away party, leaving her with a brief hug.

"So…you're finally going after what you really want, huh?" Kevin tilted his head at her, those blue eyes staring into her own green eyes.

Cameron nodded. "You could say that."

Kevin smiled sadly. "I'm glad you figured it out…even if it's not with me." He hugged her a little tighter this time. "Good luck, Allie. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you, too. Give Kathy my best."

"Will do."

The next day found her in her black Cherokee, hitting the highway for Princeton. The moving company was already on the road, delivering her furniture and belonging to her new apartment. By Wilson's description, it was quite a bit bigger than her old one, perfectly suited to accommodate the things she had accumulated during her time in Chicago. It always amazed Cameron how much _stuff_ one accumulated over time. Hopefully this would be her last move for a while, though.

House called her at their usual time, and Cameron was able to find a nearby rest stop so she and House could talk, without distractions.

"Ho, ho, ho…Merry Christmas, Cameron."

Cameron laughed. "It's not even midnight yet. Technically it's still Christmas Eve. Aren't you doing your usual Chinese food thing with Wilson?"

"Yeah…the she-devil is here, too. Wilson had the nerve to invite her along. Can you believe him?!"

"Well…they _have _been seeing each other for a while. Don't you _want_ your best friend to be happy?"

"Sure…I just don't necessarily want her in my damn house. It's bad enough dealing with her at work." House's voice dropped to a low whisper. "It'd be a hell of a lot better if you were here. It would even the odds, so to speak."

Cameron laughed gently. "Remember when I said 'never say never'?"

"Yeah?"

"Just…keep it in mind." Cameron checked her watch. She had to wrap up if she wanted to get to Princeton in decent time. "I've got to go. I'm driving to see family for Christmas."

"Okay…drive safe." House limped into the kitchen away from Wilson's and Cuddy's prying ears. "I miss you. Wish you were here, you know."

"I miss you, too." Cameron's voice was soft. "Talk to you later, House."

"Bye." House closed his phone and returned to the living room, that familiar pang hitting his heart. He wondered what she meant by 'Just keep it in mind.'. That damn Cameron. She was always keeping him guessing these days. It was driving him batshit.

House wondered what would happen if he saw Cameron in person again. Would they maintain their friendly connection, or would it all fall apart again? He didn't even dare to consider that they could be more than…friendly. That was a disaster he had no desire to repeat. House resigned himself to his solo state. He figured he was just too damned old and damaged to bother changing for anyone, even Cameron. She'd either take him as he was or not at all, and that was that.

Wilson watched House pace around the apartment, a thoughtful look on his face. Something in House's demeanor seemed to change with every conversation with Cameron. He would never share details, but he dropped enough hints for Wilson to know that something had changed between House and Cameron. It was a good thing. Maybe Cameron's return wouldn't be a complete disaster this time. He wanted House to be happy for a change, and maybe Cameron would be the one to bring that to him. Only time would tell.

House was standing out on his balcony late on New Year's Eve. He and the team had a complicated case, and after more than a few wrong turns, they seemed to have finally gotten the case moving in the right direction. While the patient wasn't out of the woods yet, she was doing much better, and so House had sent his team home for the night. Now it was just him, his cigar, his bourbon, and the night. It was relatively calm and peaceful, the late December snow falling just beyond the balcony in large, soft flakes.

He wished Cameron were here to share this with him. House was feeling oddly sentimental tonight, seemingly for no good reason. Another year was nearly over, another year with no Cameron in it. It filled him with a bit of sadness. Phone conversations couldn't replace the feel of a soft warm body beside him in the night, and he rather liked the idea of Cameron curled up next to him.

House sighed and took a long drink from his glass. There was no point fantasizing about something that would likely never come to pass. He took another puff from the cigar and set it in the ashtray, refilling his glass. "Come Back to Me" chimed out of his phone, indicating a call from Cameron. He had chosen the ringtone in another uncharacteristic fit of sentimentality. It seemed to fit the past and current state of his and Cameron's 'relationship'.

"House."

"Hey….Happy New Year."

House laughed. "It's not the new year yet. Technically it's still New Year's Eve. Whatcha up to tonight."

"Not much. Just hanging out with some old friends." Cameron made sure she was out of his line of sight, standing just to the left of his office door. "How about you?"

"Oh…the usual. Out on the balcony, drinking…smoking…missing you."

The clock struck midnight, and fireworks started going off over Princeton. House's mouth twisted in a slightly sad smile. "Well, it's midnight. Guess you'll be getting that New Year's kiss from your boy of the moment."

"I hope to." Cameron took a deep breath and moved in front of House's office door. "Turn around."

House spun on his heel, not believing what he saw. Cameron opened his office door, opening the sliding door and walking out onto the balcony. House's heart felt like it would explode out of his chest at the sight of her.

"No…this cannot be…"

"I told you…'never say never'." Cameron reached up on tiptoe to give House a quick kiss.

House reached out, feeling Cameron's arms and sliding down to take her hands in his. "So…this is real. You're really here…this isn't just some illusion." He took one hand and wrapped it around the nape of her neck, pulling her close to him. House bent his head down, inhaling that heady, soft floral scent he remembered so well from Foreman's wedding.

"Are you back for good this time, or are you just messing with my head again?"

Cameron laughed softly. "Head games aren't my thing." She lifted her chin to look up at House. "Yes, I'm back for good. I'm taking a position in immunology. Got a good chance of making department head in a few years if I want it enough."

"I'll bet you'll get it, too." House stroked her cheek. "You always seem to get what you want."

"Eventually. Sometimes it just takes me a while to figure it out."

"Three…almost four years. That's too goddamn long, woman." House captured Cameron's mouth in a soft kiss. "Don't you ever do that to me again. That was painful."

"Same here." Cameron wrapped her arms around House, as if she never wanted to let him go again.

House and Cameron stood for the longest time on that balcony, simply holding on to each other. She had finally found herself, where she had belonged all along. House was just grateful that she had finally figured it out. He was pretty sure he would have waited as long as he needed to, but he was glad he didn't have to test that theory.

The fireworks exploded all around them, but House and Cameron were too busy creating their own to notice. They didn't even notice Wilson and Cuddy pass by in the hallway, catching the couple practically making out on the balcony. Cuddy poked Wilson in the ribs, chastising him for even thinking about interrupting their reunion. With any luck, there would be plenty of opportunity to harass them in the future. Right now it looked like they were well on their way to starting that future, and it looked very bright indeed.

**You know what to do by now. Hit that button, tell me your thoughts.**


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